Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Toyota Tacoma owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My truck lost drivability while I was going 60 I ran into a ditch to stop. It hads two codes . I took it in they replaced my rack n pinion. Check engine light came on . Mechanic said he could not work on it anymore because of the rust. To much corrosion he would be risking liability for other parts getting damaged because of all the rust. Took it to mike Shaw to have frame tested. It passed they said. But I can't find a mechanic to work on it but mike Shaw and they'll just keep charging for each item they don't care.
The check engine light on the dashboard of my 2012 Tacoma turned on and will no longer accelerate appropriately and especially while driving uphill, posing a danger to myself and other drivers. I was on a two-lane highway with a cliffside drop on one side and a wall of steep rock on the other and absolutely no where to go as there was only one lane going in each direction and my truck would not accelerate over 20mph in an area where you're expected to keep a pace above 40mph and as such ended up with a long row of impatient and increasingly frustrated drivers behind me, only more incited by my having to turn on my hazard lights as a result of a crawling speed I was forced to deal with and with nowhere to pull over and get out of the way. How can I possibly rely on this vehicle to be safe for me or anyone else, especially on a fast-moving highway in this condition? …
Vehicle: 2012 Toyota Tacoma VIN: [redacted] Toyota Special Service Campaign 20TC01 was performed on September 19, 2024, at approximately 103,417 miles. The campaign addressed the secondary air injection system, including the air injection pump and air switching valves. According to Toyota's repair records, the dealer installed an air switching valve kit, air pump repair kit, and air pump cover under campaign SSC 20TC01. On [redacted], at approximately 111,187 miles, the same Toyota dealership diagnosed failure of the air pump and air switching valves and estimated $3,664.13 for repair. The recurrence occurred after only about 7,770 miles and less than two years after completion of Toyota's campaign repair. I am concerned that the campaign remedy did not provide a lasting correction of the condition affecting the air injection system. …
Driving on the street to work one morning, the trac off and check engine lights both suddenly appeared. I then noticed that my truck was not able to accelerate past ~40 MPH. Going uphill, my truck was limited to only ~20 MPH. My truck went into this "safe mode." I connected an OBD device and the came up with the following two codes: p2440 and p2442. The codes refer to "secondary air injection system switching valve stuck open" for banks 1 and 2, respectively. I did some further research on the codes, and it turns out this is a common issue on 2012 tacomas. Apparently, the valve for the secondary air injection system is stuck open due to moisture and/or carb build up. I believe this is a design/engineering issue. Part replacement costs ~$480 for each valve assembly. Labor can range anywhere between $200-$500. …
Only 49,000 miles on my $32,000 truck and like many other owners of 2012 tacomas I have the check engine light come on with the trac off light and giving the diagnostic code of p2442 secondary air injection switching valve. This is clearly a emissions and manufacturing problem with this year and Toyota should have to foot the bill instead of charging us $2,100 for a fix a a practically new expensive truck. The air injection valve is part of emissions and should be covered and a TSB or recall should be issued for this. When this valve goes out typically every 50,000 it renders your truck useless and puts it into safe mode not allowing you to go more than 35-40 MPH. Needless to say this speed just doesn't work on the highway to travel to work and unless you fork over the $2,100 to have it fixed then you have to find another way to work. …
Code p2443 valve stuck closed came up when my "trac and CEL" lights came up on the dash. This happened on startup. This code is a failure of the secondary air injection switching valve stuck closed. This condition can lead to lost power when driving called a "limp mode" and is occurring on Toyota Tacoma"s at around the 50K mile mark as I have found on the Tacoma world website. This issue has also been noted on the Toyota tundra as well and a TSB has been issued to fix this problem but not for the Tacoma. I have noted that my power has diminished since the lights came on (3 days). I checked with my Toyota dealer and they say they have no history of this happening. Tacoma owners say this issue is well known and Toyota is failing to address a fix. The loss of power can occur anytime and if it happens on a busy interstate or highway can result in accidents.
Secondary air pump failed at 47,000 miles, shortly after warranty expired. It failed as I was pulling out onto a major fast-moving highway and promptly went into "limp" mode, limiting acceleration. It took over a half mile to get the vehicle to 40 MPH. Meanwhile, vehicles behind me were braking abruptly to avoid colliding with me. As I understand it the secondary air pump is part of the emission control system and I don't believe that this should effect the performance of the engine in this manner. This seems more like a software induced failure, which, in this case, caused a potentially dangerous situation. After some back and forth Toyota agreed to refund me 1/2 of the $2500 that I was charged for the repair. Upon searching the internet, I found dozens of instances of this failure on 2012 Tacoma's with similar mileage.
I start up the truck and pull out in to the street. Whether at an intersection or making a turn, I push on the accelerator and nothing happens. The rpms don't increase, engine makes no sound - and I am left sitting in the middle of the road. I push the accelerator to the floor and eventually the engine comes to life and the truck moves forward. Happens more often than not when the vehicle is "cold" - within the first 20-30 minutes of operation. The accelerator is not linked directly to the engine through a cable but is a drive by wire. I have maintained my Tacoma meticulously since purchase including tune ups, oil changes, etc. I have cleaned the mass air flow sensor with no change. The problem still persists. It is very dangerous to be in the middle of an intersection with a vehicle that has lost power.
2012 Toyota Tacoma w 47K miles 4 yrs old. Bought brand new from Toyota. I was driving the vehicle to work and check engine light and trac off both came on. Attempted to accelerate up a hill over a bridge and could not go beyond 20 MPH with accelerator all the way down!. Vehicles speeding up on me, pulled off into emergency lane. Vehicle towed and brought to dealership where they told me a 'bank 1 secondary air injection switching valve' needs to be replaced at about $900. Not covered under warranty or a recall. Research on internet shows that this is a common and dangerous problem for this year make and model. Toyota cc called with report filed. Something needs to be done before there is a serious injury or mortality due to the vehicle not being able to accelerate in a vulnerable position.
My 2012 Toyota Tacoma prerunner 2wd has 54,640 miles. I just got a check engine light and "trac off" light yesterday. My truck would accelerate to just 25 MPH when merging onto the interstate and top speed was around 50 MPH. This is a serious safety issue and Toyota will not cover this known problem under the standard 3 year 36,000 mile warranty. Autozone ran the diagnostic scan and came up with trouble codes p2440 and p2442. These are tied to the secondary air injection system and switching valves. The Toyota dealership said this would cost me close to $2000 to repair. I paid $30,000 for this vehicle brand new just 4 years ago. This needs to become a class action lawsuit so that a safety recall is issued for Toyota to repair this known defect for free.
Fuel System complaints in other Tacoma years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2012 Toyota Tacoma?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2012 Toyota Tacoma, 18% of the model year's 295 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Toyota Tacoma fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Toyota Tacoma fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.